Laser cut and printable cases

If you’re like us you’ve got quite a few prototyping tools that are bare PCB boards. If you’re using them a lot you might want to protect them with some type of case but the lack of mounting holes can make this difficult. One popular solution to this problem is to design a case for a perfect fit, then cut it with a laser or print it out of plastic. We’ve got examples of both.

The company Pololu which sells robot kits and parts offer inexpensive ($25) minimum laser cutting services. I’ve used them before and I was impressed with the parts I got back from the CAD drawings I subbmitted. They are hacker friendly.
Link http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/749

Don’t have a laser cutter or 3d printer? That’s fine, I’ve seen a wide variety of plastics used to make enclosures and project boxes. It’s pretty simple actually. Just take a fairly large piece of Plexiglas or PBC (or what you have available) and put it in the oven just until it’s soft enough to bend and shape. Use straight edges and angle tools to obtain the shape you want and presto-shapo, your new enclosure or project box. Please be advised, plastics may contain harmful chemicals and may be released upon melting or heating. Use proper safety precautions.